[1]Clarksville TN – The 2013 edition of the Clarksville city council was sworn in this week. They also held their first official meeting of the year. So what’s new?

Not much.

Voters had real opportunity to make change this past November, but as we’ve seen, we say we want change, but we’re not willing to vote for it. It’s a real curiosity to me that with all the complaining, and the obvious need for something to change, the voters just don’t seem to care. Why do we keep putting the same people in office, then gripe about what they’re doing?I guess we all need Facebook material.

The Clarksville city council welcomed just one new member for 2013, Valerie Guzman. Meanwhile, voters re-elected Jeff Burkhart, David Allen, James Lewis, Wallace Redd and Joel Wallace. So,in spite of all the controversies, conflict of interest (where did that debate go?), personal problems, disputes, name calling and more, the citizens voted to keep things pretty much the same.

Well alrighty then.

The first council meeting of the year was pretty much like every other council meeting we’ve seen the last couple of years. Mayor McMillan breaking tie votes, citizens leaving the meeting frustrated at the lack of action by their council, Bill Summers vs Kim McMillan, and more frustration.

Then there’s the confusion that continues to flow from the city attorney’s office. I’ve never seen anything like it. I never come away from ANY explanation given by Lance Baker with a better understanding of what he just said. It changes constantly.

Remember the ethics debates of last year? The Regional Planning Commission controversy?

And so it goes.

These are curious times we’re living in now. I don’t fully understand what’s going on and why. The Federal Government is not only getting more involved in my personal life, but their actions are putting a serious strain on state and local governments like Clarksville.

I think it’s high time our local officials start taking things more seriously, and get rid of this “us against them” mentality. And I WOULD take this opportunity to encourage the citizenry to take notice and get involved, but apparently we don’t want change, or we would have voted for it.